New Ramsar Sites in India (February 2025)

  • Post category:Environment
  • India has 89 Ramsar sites (as of March 2025), covering mangroves, lakes, estuaries, coral reefs.
  • Ramsar sites aid biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and water management.

Ramsar Convention

  • International treaty for wetland conservation, signed 1971 in Ramsar, Iran; in force since 1975.
  • India joined in 1982;
  • World Wetlands Day: 2 Feb.
  • 3 Main Objectives:
    1. Identify & protect wetlands of international importance.
    2. Promote wise use of wetlands.
    3. Encourage international cooperation.
  • Wise Use: Sustainable management balancing conservation & livelihoods.

Nine Ramsar Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International Importance

The Ramsar Convention uses nine scientific criteria, grouped under two categories, to designate wetlands of international importance:

Group A – Sites containing representative, rare, or unique wetland types

  1. Criterion 1 – Representative, Rare, or Unique Wetland Types
    • The site should contain a natural or near-natural wetland type that is rare, unique, or representative of the region’s ecological or biogeographic setting.
    • Examples:
      • Chilika Lake, Odisha – largest brackish lagoon in Asia, unique salinity gradient.
      • Sundarbans, West Bengal – world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest.

Group B – Sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity

  1. Criterion 2 – Threatened Species & Ecological Communities
    • Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
    • Example: Keoladeo National Park – habitat for the critically endangered Siberian Crane.
  2. Criterion 3 – Biodiversity Support
    • Maintains biodiversity of the region by supporting populations of plant and/or animal species important for the region’s biological balance.
    • Example: Loktak Lake, Manipur – floating “phumdis” support unique flora and fauna.
  3. Criterion 4 – Critical Life Cycle Support
    • Provides habitat during critical life stages (breeding, nesting, moulting, migration stopover) or as a refuge during adverse conditions.
    • Example: Pong Dam Lake, Himachal Pradesh – stopover for thousands of migratory waterfowl.
  4. Criterion 5 – Waterbird Aggregations
    • Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
    • Example: Chilika Lake – over 1 million migratory birds annually.
  5. Criterion 6 – Specific Waterbird Populations
    • Regularly supports ≥1% of the individuals in a population of one species/subspecies of waterbird.
    • Example: Nal Sarovar, Gujarat – >1% of the global population of certain duck species.
  6. Criterion 7 – Fish Diversity & Life Stages
    • Supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species, or families, or important fish spawning/nursery grounds.
    • Example: Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala – vital for clams and diverse fish species.
  7. Criterion 8 – Fish Source for Food/Spawning
    • An important source of food for fishes, spawning grounds, nursery areas, or migration paths on which fish stocks depend.
    • Example: Deepor Beel, Assam – fish breeding and feeding grounds for Brahmaputra River system.
  8. Criterion 9 – Non-Avian Species Populations
    • Regularly supports ≥1% of the individuals in a population of one species/subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animals (e.g., amphibians, mammals, reptiles).
    • Example: Vembanad-Kol Wetland, Kerala – supports endangered Irrawaddy dolphins.

New Ramsar Sites (Dec 2024)

  1. Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve (Karnataka) – Freshwater wetland; key for migratory birds, flood buffer, fisheries support.
  2. Aghanashini Estuary (Karnataka) – Mangrove-rich estuary; breeding ground for marine species; coastal protection.
  3. Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve (Karnataka) – Seasonal freshwater lake; Sarus Crane breeding site; groundwater recharge.
  4. Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) – Migratory bird stopover on EAAF; supports fishing communities.
  5. Longwood Shola Reserve Forest (Tamil Nadu) – Montane wetland forest; endemic fauna; water source for Nilgiris.

New Ramsar Sites (Feb 2025)

  1. Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary (Jharkhand) – First Ramsar site in state; vital for migratory birds & fisheries.
  2. Khecheopalri Wetland (Sikkim) – High-altitude sacred lake; endemic species; key freshwater source.
  3. Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) – Brackish wetland; migratory bird hub; flood control.
  4. Therthangal Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) – Seasonal freshwater wetland; supports groundwater recharge.

Importance of New Sites – Strengthen wetland conservation, enhance biodiversity protection, support eco-tourism, meet SDG & Paris Agreement goals, improve climate resilience.

Major Threats to Wetlands in India

  1. Urbanization & encroachment – loss of biodiversity, reduced flood control.
  2. Pollution – eutrophication, microplastics, water contamination.
  3. Climate change – salinity shifts, habitat drying, migration disruption.
  4. Invasive species – oxygen depletion, native species decline.
  5. Overexploitation – unsustainable fishing/tourism, poaching.

Government Initiatives

  • NPCA – National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems.
  • Wetlands Rules 2017 – prohibits encroachment/conversion.
  • NAFCC – funds climate-resilient wetland projects.
  • Mangrove & Coral Reef Programme – restoration efforts.
  • ESZ Policy – buffer zones for wetland protection.

Conclusion

  • With 89 Ramsar sites, India leads South Asia in wetland recognition.
  • Stronger enforcement, community participation, and scientific management are key to long-term sustainability.